Redefining Squid Game: Building an XR Replica, courtesy of Blinx
In a groundbreaking move, digital production company Blinx has successfully recreated the iconic Squid Game set in an immersive virtual environment. The project, a collaboration with streaming giant Netflix, showcases Blinx's commitment to innovation and their strategic use of XR technology for immersive storytelling.
The virtual space was made possible through the synergy between Vizrt's XR Set technology and Unreal Engine. The physical XR studio, optimised for 360-degree camera movement and seamless integration of real-time graphics, was approximately 12 meters by 8 meters. This space, boundless in the virtual world, provided the perfect canvas for the creative team.
Blinx's in-house creative team handled environment design, set logic, and editorial cues to ensure everything felt organic, interactive, and live. Two hours of technical rehearsals were conducted, followed by a dry run with stand-ins, for final lighting, camera calibration, and interaction cues. The virtual set was completed in just under two days, demonstrating the maturity of Blinx's XR pipeline and the agility of their creative tech team.
Balancing high visual fidelity with real-time performance was a challenge, particularly under tight timelines. Viz Engine 5 was used for compositing and real-time rendering, blending camera tracking, lighting, and high visual fidelity assets from Unreal. The result was a photorealistic environment with broadcast precision.
The actors were genuinely surprised and impressed by the finished studio, with one asking where the "toy" came from. The collaboration with Netflix for this project was built on mutual respect for innovation and brand integrity. Blinx plans to continue using XR technology in future projects, considering it a strategic pillar for immersive storytelling.
Blinx is already planning new environments, franchises, and interactive formats using Vizrt technology and Unreal Engine. This virtual Squid Game set is just the beginning of a new era in immersive storytelling. As Blinx continues to push storytelling boundaries, we can expect to see more groundbreaking projects in the future.
